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8.33% Blood & Juniper (A Vampire Tale Remastered) / Chapter 1: Reapers and Ashes
Blood & Juniper (A Vampire Tale Remastered) Blood & Juniper (A Vampire Tale Remastered) original

Blood & Juniper (A Vampire Tale Remastered)

Autor: BELStriker

© WebNovel

Capítulo 1: Reapers and Ashes

<p><em>End of Summer 2017.</em><br/><br/>Call it a hunch, but I knew today was going to end like this.<br/><br/>I take in the full night, letting the mild warning sink into Deja Vu. No more than five minutes after finishing up that long crappy shift and here I am. And I *<em>knew*</em> this would happen.<br/><br/>I'm being followed.<br/><br/><em>'Why, why did I basically walk straight into danger?'</em><br/><br/>Typically, I take the bus home, but I got off later than usual– just missed it. I would have had to sit around for 'who knows how long' for the next one. <br/><br/><em>'Ugh Ashlen,'</em> I berate myself internally, <em>'why didn't you ask for a ride or just suck it up? Anything that wasn't so stupid!'</em><br/><br/>It's almost as stupid as the hunch I had about my dream job– moved miles away from home only to get laid off three months later. <br/><br/><em>'Me, bitter? Never…'</em><br/><br/>And maybe that's when everything started going down the toilet. Ever since I ignored that bit of intuition.<br/><br/>That's all I've been getting– Bad hunches, bad luck and I'm really sick of it. I am also getting kicked out of my apartment this Friday or rather, I'll be receiving my eviction notice, another hunch. My paycheck at the diner hasn't been cutting it, so no surprise there but it's certainly upsetting.<br/><br/>Maybe that's why I snapped– working like a dog for months only to get a pay stub that doesn't make a dent. The hunch needling me for the last hours of my shift seemed less pressing. I wanted to walk away from it all, possibly this was my subconscious protest, a self-destructive one. Now, I'm seriously regretting my momentary lapse of judgment.<br/><br/>I have not one but three men following me.<br/><br/>Reaching into my half apron, I blindly feel around the pocket for my phone. The screen doesn't light up when I thumb the power button and I want to smack myself. What a day to drain the battery dry– blasting my music at work, even though I'm technically not supposed to listen to anything but the customers. This is either Murphy's law or a cruel spurt of karma for breaking workplace rules.<br/><br/>The thought of work has my face scrunching up in frustration. My coworker, Sarah, walks home alone all the time and is just fine, but I disregard one bad feeling and everything falls apart. I take a few turns that are not my usual route, in hopes that it's a coincidence they're headed the same way. <br/><br/><em>'Not a hunch, not every bad feeling is a hunch. I'm overreacting.'</em><br/><br/>Despite my self reassurance, the panic rises higher into my throat with each turn I take. They're still tailing me. <br/><br/>My necklace strains as I anxiously tug at the long chain, a gift I received from actually listening to my intuition for once. A priest gave it to me when I followed the hunch to a church last month– I was desperate enough to wander inside thanks to my bout of rotten luck. I palm the glass pendant on the end and feel the water swish within as I pick up the pace.<br/><br/>He told me it was "for my protection". I clutch the ball and scowl at it. It's beautiful but doesn't seem to be doing a great job "protecting" me.<br/><br/><em>'Ok, I'm definitely screwed.'</em> <br/><br/>Shoving down the panic, I scramble for any bright ideas. With a secret glance, I analyze the group, careful not to turn completely– it won't do me any favors to advertise my unease.<br/><br/>Two of the men are chatting with each other as they follow. Actually, one seems to be doing all the talking, while the other periodically acknowledges him. The third is lagging farther behind. I wasn't sure if he was a part of the group at first but my few random turns have ruled that out.<br/><br/>The chatty one's baritone carries, though they're far enough away that I can't make out the details. He sounds oddly carefree but I could see the man being intimidating– he's built like a linebacker.<br/><br/>I reach the outskirts of the city and things are looking pretty dismal. The podunk diner is far behind me now, and the few other stores I've come across are closed. There's no chance of me taking refuge in any of these. <br/><br/>As the buildings become more sparse, so do the houses. They're spread thin with the forest on the opposite side thickening the farther I go. <br/><br/><em>'Great! How did I get here? This area doesn't look familiar at all, not to mention deserted.'</em> <br/><br/>A ranch house pokes into view and I head for it, planning to walk in as if I own it. I'll take a working phone or any help at this point.<br/><br/><em>'There's no one home, the doors are locked.'</em> <br/><br/>Like a voice of reason the hunch wells inside me. As if I checked the front door myself, I'm certain of it.<br/><br/>I contemplate my success in busting one of the darkened windows with a rock when a crazy counter thought bubbles up in my brain.<em> </em><br/><br/><em>'Leave the road. Go into the forest.'</em> <br/><br/>That sounds almost as terrible as the rock plan. Well, if it were an idea I wouldn't pay it any mind, but it's "the hunch". I didn't heed my intuition back at the diner and, as illogical as this seems, it may be my best shot out of this. <br/><br/>Swirling with inner debate, I make the unconscious mistake of a backward glance. The talkative one and I lock eyes.<br/><br/>"Where ya 'eaded, sweethear'?" he calls out with a chuckle, "I's naw safe ta be wanderin' alone ou' 'ere." <br/><br/>Casual and a little suggestive. His accent is a strange inscrutable mash-up. Under other circumstances, I probably wouldn't suspect this guy of malice. But then I evaluate his small wiry companion and realize the big guy's not the one I need to worry about. <br/><br/>And just like a rabbit, I get the sudden urge to flee. I lose my cool. Eyes darting for the trees, I sprint for my life, hearing an eruption of laughter following after me.<br/><br/>"Come on, honey, where do you think you're going?" <br/><br/>This voice is less discreet, almost jeering. I can hear foul intentions emanate from the undertones. I'm sure this came from the scrawnier blonde guy with the devious glint in his eye. <br/><br/>Horrible images flood my mind of what they could possibly want with me. It gives me a boost to my speed and I lunge into the off-road brush.<br/><br/>Bushes swat and slash, I rip my way through. The low limbs and overgrown shrubs seem to reach down like hooked imp fingers conspiring to pull me back. My ponytail band catches in a tangle of brambles and snaps. Trees aggress from all sides, twisting up in my free mane of hair but the terrifying thought of them catching up numbs the pain. I sprint full force ahead, praying not to trip on the uneven ground.<br/><br/>Air stings my dry throat as I gulp it down, the ground whizzes past. Adrenaline propels me forward when I otherwise would have collapsed. They're gaining on me, my stalkers are catching up and they're barely making a sound. No feet pounding after, not crashing through trees. Only their eerily close chatter.<br/><br/>Sensing their proximity my heart flutters, punching against my ribcage. I can't seem to get enough air with each erratic suck. I start to wish I'd never left my family and friends back home. <br/><br/>Maybe I'll never see them again. <br/><br/>I blink out the tears creeping into my eyes and keep going. I can't give up. I need to push myself to run even faster, just a little further. My lungs feel like they're going to burst.<br/><br/>"She's getting too close to the edge," says a voice short steps behind, "Stop fooling around before we lose her." <br/><br/>Startled by how close he is, I urge myself to go impossibly faster.<br/> <br/>It's too late. <br/><br/>My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach as I'm abruptly grabbed. I lose my balance and expect to crash down with the attacker, but he catches me like I weigh a bundle of feathers. Even my momentum doesn't seem to be a hindrance. A hand slaps over my short-lived scream. I flail, kicking and swinging my free arm around wildly. He applies more pressure, it's like I'm battling an increase in gravity.<br/><br/>"A fighta', are ya, love?" <br/><br/>My eyes snap forward to see that talkative one leisurely watching the scuffle. The man is a giant, yet he says this all so casually and doesn't seem out of breath in the slightest.<br/><br/><em>'They're going to hurt me.'</em><br/><br/>I squirm harder.<br/><br/><em>'Violate me.' </em><br/><br/>I shriek into the palm, try to bite it. Throwing myself around like an insane person, fighting his every move.<em> </em><br/><br/><em>'They'll murder me!''</em><br/><br/>It's hopeless. I accomplish absolutely nothing but thoroughly annoying my captor. <br/><br/>"This is going to be very unpleasant for you if you don't settle the fuck down!" he hisses in my ear.<br/><br/>I freeze. His tone sets off every alarm bell. Temporary compliance is looking like the best option I have and struggling doesn't seem to have any effect on him anyhow. I force myself to relax, feigning submission with an over-exerted breath under his palm. I'll need to outwit them or take them off guard if I can manage it. <br/> <br/>"Wise decision," he says coldly, removing his hand from my mouth and placing it on my free shoulder. <br/><br/><em>'Great… Now he has a better grip on each side. I hope cooperating was the right choice.'</em><br/> <br/>"This is too far…"<br/><br/>I glance over, matching the utterance of chagrin to the one I believe was lagging behind in the group. He's standing away from us even now. The man is shadowed beneath a squiggly tree, leaning conflicted against it with folded arms.<br/><br/>He looks youngish, college age. Not as robust as the gabby one but fit. Though mostly silhouetted, it's impossible not to notice that the guy is remarkably good-looking– admittedly, all of them are. And that <em>doesn't</em> fit. <br/><br/><em>'They aren't scummy looking or desperate or visibly drunk. So why?'</em> <br/><br/>I ponder their supposed motives to myself, bouncing my eyes from each of them, lastly to the one keeping me captive. <br/><br/>A small gasp escapes as I look up to catch him staring right back. The wild gray of his eyes burns through the dark and into my sockets, sending chills like scratch marks down my spine. I want to turn away but am too afraid to take my gaze off his as if he'll surely kill me then and there. <br/><br/>He smirks slightly, eyes narrowing as he shakes disheveled pieces of flaxen hair from his brow. The rest is tied back unlike mine– stupid forest stole my hair-tie.<br/><br/>His gaze makes its way down to my thighs, then returns in a slow elevator sweep. That look makes all the warmth flee, a cold sweat breaks on my brow. He seems to be enjoying my obvious terror. I tear my eyes from him, not able to stand it.<br/> <br/>"Aww, come on Sammy, lighten up. I's nothin' personal, ya kno' tha'," I overhear the brawny one try to cheer up the guy by the tree as if nothing's wrong. <br/><br/><em>'Of course Sammy,' the thought lashes out, 'Just a normal situation, grabbing and terrorizing a girl in the woods… Yeah, everyday stuff.' </em> <br/><br/>Silent sarcasm is certainly not going to save me. They continue their back and forth as my eyes flick around, frantically searching for a way to escape. There's nothing, just damn forest.<br/> <br/>I recircle all directions in vain, looking for a thing that doesn't seem to be here, *<em>needing*</em> it to magically appear. But it's just trees, and bushes, and dirt. <br/><br/><em>'Wait a second… </em><strong><em>bushes.</em></strong><em>'</em><br/><br/>Another pang of intuition shoots into my brain as if it were common knowledge. I don't know why but I need to cross the bushes over my shoulder. From what I can see in the sliver of moon, they're nothing special. Pine-like with a few wild berries. Fairly ordinary other than the sharp herb smell. <br/><br/>Then I notice it. These were intentionally planted more or less in a line, almost like a barrier or wall.<br/><br/>I'm jerk out of my observation as my captor suspiciously examines those same bushes. He makes a short laugh in his throat.<br/><br/>"Closer than I thought," he mutters to himself.<br/><br/>Well that confirms the hunch, there <em>is</em> something in that direction. But could safety be so easy as crossing over? It's probably wishful thinking. Though one thing's for certain, I'm at the most risk here with blondie. Especially since he's back to looking me over like he wants to devour me. <br/><br/>Though my captor doesn't fidget much, his restless tension is clear. His hands suddenly clamp possessively like oyster shells. I grimace, it's painfully tight, pretty much cutting off circulation. I follow Blondie's side glance to his bickering friends. He must be waiting for the go ahead to finish whatever they have planned. But I haven't been focusing on the argument, I've been doing a little planning of my own– waiting for the right moment. <br/><br/>With an impatient breath, he turns his face away, about to join the spat. Granting my chance.<br/><br/>Aiming for the sweet spot, I raise my knee. I wind up and slam my heel back into him. He spins me around lightning fast before I can lurch away, burrowing his horrible stare into mine once more. <br/><br/>Seems my intentions did *<em>not* </em>fly over his head. I watch his face twist up with rancor. It's like looking into the eyes of the devil himself.<br/><br/><em>'Well crap…'</em><br/> <br/>"You're not as smart as I thought."<br/><br/>He throws me down hard. My vision cuts as the back of my head hits the unforgiving dirt. I hear the dull thud in my ears, a headache swallows my skull. I wince as my body follows, shooting pain into my shoulder blade and middle back. <br/><br/>I don't even have time to move, he's already on top, pinning my wrists to the ground. I rapidly blink the double vision away. <br/><br/>As my eyes refocus, I notice him blatantly staring at my cleavage. My damn work shirt, one of those three button V necks but no one ever buttons more than one. I really wish I *<em>had*</em> buttoned it up to my neck at this point. <br/><br/>I fidget, feel stuck, claustrophobic and panicky. My heart sinks then stirs. <br/><br/>"Wait," I choke out weakly.<br/><br/>There's a starling blankness in his fierce irises as they move up to meet mine– like an animal that can't be reasoned with. He focuses back on my heaving chest. Releases one trembling wrist. Reaches for a loose piece of tousled hair near my jaw. My eyes widen, I can feel a horrified expression stretching across my face. His icy fingers make their way from neck to collarbone. <br/><br/>"No, *<em>STOP!*"</em><br/><br/>I pry his hand before he can go any further. It doesn't budge. I let out a pathetic battle screech and flail around. Nails scratching, pulling. Trying to wiggle out from under him. It's like hitting a massive rock, entirely futile. <br/><br/>A flash of white and my head snaps to the side with a sharp exhale. The whole side of my face is numb, temples throbbing. He struck with an open hand but the force was like a full-fist punch. He grabs my cheeks, squeezing them, coaxing me to look into his evil gaze. <br/><br/>I'm dazed, vision spotty but those eyes sear into mine just like before, getting progressively more alarming and irate. I need to get away! I tug at his hand. <br/><br/>He backhands me again, it's instantaneous. I feel my lip split. Blood and spit fly to the side as air rushes from my lungs. Choking on an ugly sound, I take a long ragged breath, trying to stay conscious. My cheek feels puffy and welted.<br/><br/>He pinches my tender face again and jerks me to him. Everything is blurry.<br/><br/>"Now, now Derek, dere's no need fer tha'."<br/><br/>Seems the one called Derek won't be reasoned with. His crazed eyes widen, clenched teeth stretching into a tight-lipped smile. The hand gripping my jaw compressing in. <br/><br/>I grunt at the pain and latch my free hand to his arm, digging my nails in. It doesn't faze him at all. He looks insane, that hand is like a vise trying to break through my teeth.<br/><br/>My ears start to ring, thumb and fingers convulse into my cheeks. I feel light-headed but fight to stay alert, hear muffled chatter yet can't make it out. <br/><br/>Before my vision goes black, Derek rips his fingers roughly from my face. He shakes with soundless laughter. This psychopath… he's riveted by my agony and helplessness. <br/><br/><em>'Is that it? Are they looking for someone to torture?'</em> A flare of anger overpowers the disorientation. His deranged smile is pissing me off.<br/><br/><em>'Why me? Why did they come after me?'</em><br/><br/>My brow furrows until it's scrunching my nose. <br/><br/><em>'Screw them. Screw everything. Fuck you, Derek!'</em> <br/><br/>I hack up my salt tasting anger and aggressively spit in his face. <br/><br/>Bloodied saliva splats on his cheek. At the sound my face slackens with instant regret. Tonight has been full of crappy decisions, but this one takes the cake.<br/> <br/>He doesn't flinch, completely still like a statue. Then his expression slowly contorts in a full barring of grinding teeth. That face continues to darken, furious brows creasing. Most terrible are his eyes that seem to glow with fury. A glaring fusion of insanity and rage, I feel my bladder threaten to slack. <br/><br/>Suddenly both my wrists are free and he's gunning for my neck. The action is too abrupt, it's humanly impossible. Long fingers wrap around my throat, locking like a snap bracelet. <br/><br/>Instinctively my fists fly to fight. He's only using one hand, how is he this strong?<br/><br/>I squirm under him, twisting, clawing, gasping for the oxygen being cut off by inches. His wretched glare is glued to my face. One of the friends tries to intervene and he swats their hand off his shoulder before it can fully grip. <br/><br/>Teeth gritting, grimace melting and distorting. That awful gaze drifts down to my chest. His free hand snatches the collar of my shirt, ripping my top as if it were paper. Body lifting, cheap fabric tearing down the center, turning the shirt into a tattered open jacket. My necklace flings to the side. I crash down, breasts shuddering from the force, exposed in only my bra. <br/><br/>I feel the pendant bounce off my hand that gave up fighting to worm aimlessly in the soil next to my head, an unfruitful attempt to burrow away from his chokehold. His grip on my throat eases and I'm immediately wheezing down a breath. <br/><br/>"That's enough, Derek!"<br/><br/>His jaw clenches in reaction to the shout. Derek's choking hand slides to my collarbone, still pressing me firm into the dirt. I sputter, coughing and heaving in more air. <br/><br/>Defeated and aching, I turn my head away, my necklace glints in the slivered moonbeam. It has a small crack, but the liquid is still swishing around inside. I cradle it in a shaky palm.<br/><br/>"You were supposed to protect me," I mouth. <br/><br/>"I never thought your impulsiveness would have you sink this low!" berates the voice again.<br/><br/>Derek's head whirls. <br/><br/>"You've got to be kidding me, Sam," he spits back, "You have no right to be so self-righteous."<br/> <br/>I grip the pendant with every ounce of strength I have left. Squeeze it in the unfairness of it, wanting to crush it. I've made a lot of stupid decisions today, what's the harm in one more? <br/><br/>As Derek turns back to finish me off, I smash it into his face.<br/><br/>The glass is thin and shatters with unexpected ease, shards stab into me as the orb implodes. Liquid rushes out, bursting like a water balloon. <br/><br/>A deafening screech startles me to my senses. Derek topples off, howling and writhing in pain. <br/><br/>Wide-eyed I see his skin bubble like a chemical reaction. Liquid sizzling and foaming, melting his skin. Steam rolls off of his face as if it's boiling.<br/><br/><em>'What the hell was in there, acid?'</em><br/><br/>The scene is more than frightening but I have no time to gawk. Remembering the wall of bushes, I scramble my aching body to my feet, staggering across the shrub line. I'm still dizzy from the beating and tumble when crossing over. <br/><br/>Scurrying further away on my hands and knees, I wobble and struggle to crawl in a straight line. The lightheadedness takes me down, I flop to my side after a few feet. Black trees swim against a star flecked sky. I roll with them and onto my back, reestablish myself with a gulp of dense night. Fuzzy silhouettes sharpen into pine needles… and a bulky man.<br/><br/>I sit up in a wash of dread. Grab the chain of my necklace and fumble for the remains. I jut the jagged end out like a pitiful pocket knife.<br/> <br/>My stomach is in flips and all my limbs lock up from the sight of him, that guy is huge as a bear. But though I'm clearly vulnerable he doesn't take advantage of it, he doesn't budge. <br/><br/>The big guy is standing right on the opposite side of the bushes, as if there really is a mystical barrier. In fact, he doesn't seem to be paying attention to me at all. I notice the glint of white as his eyes shift back-and-forth, vigorously scanning the area behind. <br/><br/>I flip my head around in response, revealing nothing but stagnant shadows. Breathing a small sigh of relief, I try to stop my head from spinning.<br/><br/>Derek is on his arms and knees. He's not screaming anymore, but panting. I need to get up as soon as I'm sure I won't fall over.<br/><br/>My gaze veers over and the sight makes me jump, startled to see the one I assume they call Sam intently staring. <br/><br/>He's closer than before but is also stopped at the assumed wall. His eyes are too vivid and bright, they seem to shine beneath his thick mess of black bangs. Green eyes, reminiscent of a wolf or cougar– like I'm face to face with a man-eating beast. And the tense tick in his jaw is no comfort either. <br/><br/>I gawk, scared out of my wits but feeling weirdly entranced. I shouldn't know the color of his eyes in the unlit night. This doesn't feel real, this isn't right. And just like his brawny friend, he hasn't moved an inch. <br/><br/>We stare in the unsettling forest silence. I'm frozen with the fear that, if I so much as twitch, he'll pounce.<br/> <br/>But then Derek picks himself up from off the ground. Impossible to ignore, his undivided attention all for me. My pulse thunders erratically in my ears.<br/><br/>I automatically shuffle backwards, shaking uncontrollably. He stalks my way, seething with every step like a storm of vengeance. <br/><br/>The side of his face where I assaulted him looks awful. Exposed raw flesh, blistered and somewhat stringy from jaw to hairline, it burned all the way to his ear and partially into the cheek. One eye looks filled with blood, half-closed from the damaged edge where the folds are wrinkled and eroded. It adds to the already heinous expression.<br/><br/>He's coming at me, and I don't think that invisible line is going to slow him. <br/><br/>My heart is in my throat. Right as Derek makes a move to step over, the massive guy puts a hand to his chest.<br/><br/>"Let me pass." <br/><br/>The animosity snaking through his teeth makes me shudder. <br/><br/>"Ya can't go in there, ya kno' tha'," the other says back, still scanning the forest behind me.<br/><br/><em>'Is there worse waiting for me on this side?'</em> I clench my teeth, feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. <br/><br/>"Let me pass, Cooper."<br/><br/>His eyes are glued on me. I feel the hatred radiating from him. <br/><br/>Decision made. I plead with my body not to collapse, scurry to my feet and book it. I glimpse Derek coiling to lunge like a throat-ripping attack dog but that Cooper guy holds him back. <br/><br/>"Tha Reapa' took ou' three jus' this yea', Derek! Naw count'n tha usual. I knew one of 'em, 'e was…" <br/><br/>The man's urgent rant fades as I heave my sore body onward. Eyes darting around, I weave in my awkward run to make tracking more difficult. <br/><br/>It's daunting that there's something out here making those men reluctant to pursue but I don't have a choice. If Derek gets his hands on me a second time he'll kill me, no question.<br/><br/><em>'But a reaper, did I hear that right? What does that even mean?!</em>''<br/><br/>Another shiver wracks my spine and I shoot a glance over my shoulder. I can't see the group anymore through the maze of trees. <br/><br/><em>'I'll deal with it. Whatever's out here can't be worse than Derek.'</em> <br/><br/>My little pep-thought seems to be a jinx as a blur darts past my peripherals. Spooked, my eyes snap to attention but spot nothing. And distracted, I run right into something solid.<br/><br/>I bounce off of it, landing on my butt with a thud. I swallow audibly– it wasn't a tree. I can't breathe, I'm petrified. My eyes creep up to meet the impossible…<br/><br/></p>


PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES
BELStriker BELStriker

Welcome back fans and greetings new readers! This is a remaster of my first work: Blood & Juniper. I have decided to share my Commissioned Cover (watermark and zoomed in) and edits/fixes I've made to the original work. I did this in hopes of enhancing the experience for new readers and those who like to reread.

The edits are usually subtle. You may notice added details, cutting of unnecessary fluff and minor rearrangement of dialog/scenes. Comments and critiques are welcome!

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